Method of controlling insects with cyanide hydrazones



United States Patent Roger W. Adder and Donald B Wright, .i'n, Pennington, NJ, assiguors to American yanamid Company, Stamford, Qonrn, a corporation of Maine No Drawing. Filed Nov. 8, 1962, er. No. 236,443

7 Claims. (ill. i673il) The present invention relates to pesticidal compositions and particularly to insecticidal compositions. More particularly, this invention relates to insecticidal compositime of an equivalent of malononitrile in an ethanol-water mixture to which three equivalents of sodium acetate has been added. The solid products are collected, Water Washed, vacuum dried, and recrystallized from suitable solvents. It will be appreciated that in the preparation of the various carbonyl cyanide hydrazones, as the number of equivalents of acid increases, larger amounts of sodium acetate are employed in the condensation step.

The analytical data for a number of typical carbonyl cyanide hydrazones contemplated for use in this invention and prepared employing the general procedure above are set forth in Table I below.

TABLE I Analytical Data for Some Nitrile-Confaining Hydrazoizcs and Related Compounds Compound Analyses ON I Melting Point a Calculated Found R-NN=O 0N I O H N C i H l N A. phenyl 145147 (dec.) B. p ohlorophenyl 189 (deo) 52.8 2.5 52.9 2. 6 C. m-chloropheuyl.-. 1654-1663.. 52. 8 2. 5 27. 4 53. 1 2. 6 27. 2 D. 2,5-dichlorophenyl 1510-1575--.. 45. 2 l. 7 23. 4 45. 0 2. 0 (7] E. panethoxyphenyl 150 (dec.) 60. 0 4. 0 28.0 59. 8 4. 2 28: 2 F. o-methoxyphenyl 117.4-118.4 60. 0 4. 0 28.0 59. 9 4. 0 28. 2 G. m-methoxyphenyl 146+ (dec.) 60.0 4. 0 28.0 59.9 3. 9 27. 8 B. a-naphthyl 70. 9 3. 7 25. 4 71. 3 3. 7 25. 5

a Melting point is that of analytically pure material.

tions comprising a major portion of a carrier and an insecticidally active compound having the formula:

wherein R is an aryl radical having from 1 to 2 rings, i.e., phenyl or naphthyl, and substituted aryl radicals having rorn l to 2 rings, i.e., substituted phenyl or substituted naphthyl.

While R in the above general formula may be phenyl or naphthyl and substituted phenyl or naphthyl broadly, preferably R is phenyl, halophenyl and in particular mono and dihalophenyl, lower alkoxyphenyl, Where the alkyl group contains from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, isoprcpyl, butyl and naphthyl.

As examples of carbonyl cyanide hydrozones contemplated for use in accordance with this invention, the following are illustrative: carbonyl cyanide phenyl hydra- Zone, carbonyl cyanide p-chlorophenyl hydrazone, carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone, carbonyl cyanide 2,5-dichlorophenyl hydrazone, carbonyl cyanide pmethoxyphenyl hydrazone, carbonyl cyanide o-methoxyphenyl hydrazone, carbonyl cyanide m-methoxyphenyl hydrazone, carbonyl cyanide m-ethoxyphenyl hydrazone, carbonyl cyanide m-isopropoxyphenyl hydrazone, carbonyl cyanide a-naphthyl hydrazone, carbonyl cyanide ,8- naphthyl hydrazone and carbonyl cyanide 4-methylnaphthyl hydrazone.

The general procedure employed to prepare carbonyl cyanide hydrazones of this invention is that disclosed by Hantzsch and Thompson, Ber. 38, 2266 (1905), and by Lythgoe, Todd and Topham, J. Chem. Soc. 315 (1944). In accordance .With teachings of these texts, a suitable aniline is dissolved in three or more equivalents of hydrochloric acid, illustratively as a solution, and is diazotized by the addition of'an'equivalent of sodium nitrite. The diazonium salt solution is then added to a cooled mix- The insecticidal compositions of this invention may be employed where insecticidal activity is achieved by contact action.

These compositions comprise a major portion (more than 50 by weight) of a carrier and a minor portion of the carbonyl cyanide hydrazones described above. These compositions may be used as sprays in which the carrier is a suitable organic solvent such as ketones, e.g., acetone, cyclohexanone, niethylethyl ketone and the like. In addition, as sprays they may be employed with lower monohydric aliphatic alcohols, ketone alcohols such as diacetone alcohol, various esters and aromatic hydrocarbons. The insecticidal compositions may be in the form of emulsions, either Water or other non-solvents, or on solid carriers such as talcs, clays such as kaolin, fullers earth, chalk, wood flour, silica, activated carbon, whether derived from wood sources, such as charcoal or petroleum coke, or other inert powders. The carbonyl cyanide hydrazones may be employed on such carriers in amounts of from between 0.5% to 5% of the total composition and applied as dusts.

The insecticidal compositions of this invention may be applied to the pest or insect, the term applied being intended to include application to their habitat, or to organic matter such as plant life, which forms the feed of the pest or insect.

In order to illustrate the present invention, the following examples are given primarily by Way of illustration. No specific details or enumerations contained therein should be construed as limitations on'the present invention except insofar as they appear in the appended claims.

Example 1 INSECTICIDAL ACTIVITY AGAINST NASTURTIUM APHIDS (APHIS RUM'IC'IS L.)

The carbonyl cyanide hydrazones to be tested are made up as 0.1% solutions in 65% acetone-35% water. Threeinch pots containing a nasturtiurn plant two inches tall 'rnilkweed bug is employed here. .males are used in the test. At the 1% level, carbonyl cyanide phenyl hydrazone, carbonyl cyanide p-chlorophenyl hydrazone, Carbonyl cyanide'mechlorophenyl hyfdrazone and carbonyl cyanide p-rnethoxyphenyl hydrademonstrated" activity against 7 the German and infested two days before. are selected for testing. Thepots are placed on a turntable (4 rpm.) and sprayed for two revolutions with a#l54 De Vilbiss Atomizer at a 50% kill when applied as a'0.l% solution. Carbonyl cyanide 2,5-dichlorophenyl hydrazone demonstrated a 100% kill as a 0.01% solution.

Exampie 2 INSECTICIDAL ACTIVITY AGAINST THE SOUTHERN ARMYWORM (PRODENIA'ERIDANIA CRAM.)

The carbonyl cyanide hydrazones to be tested are made up as a 01% solution as described in Example 1.. Sieva Lima bean leaves are dipped in the test solution and set into the hood to dry. When dry, they are placed in four-inch petri dishes which have a moist filter paper in the bottom and ten third-instar armyworm larvae about covered and held at 80 F., 60% relative humidity, for two days. After two days mortality counts. and estimates of the amount of feedingare made.

Carbonyl cyanide phenylhydrazone, carbonyl cyanide p-chlorophenyl hydrazone, carbonyl cyanide rn chlorophenyl hydrazone, carbonyl cyanide 2,5-dichlorophenyl V hydrazone and carbonyl cyanide a-naphthyl hydraz'one all demonstrated 100% kill when applied as a 0.l% solution. Carbonyl cyanide o-methoxyphenyl hydrazone and carbonyl cyanide m-methoxyphenyl hydrazone demonstrated 50% and 60% kill respectively at the same concentration. 7

Example 3 INSECTICIDAL ACTIVITY AGAINST LARGE MILKWEED BUG (ONC'OPE'LTUS FASC'IATUS DALL.)

The compounds to be tested were made up as a 1% dust by mixing 0.1 gram of the carbonyl cyanide with 9.9 grams of Pyrax ABB talc, wetting with 5 ml. of acetone and grinding in a mortar and pestle until dry. 25 mg. of the 1% dust is sprinkled evenly over the bottom of a 7-inch crystalizing dish using a screen-bottom plastic cup about /8 inch in diameter as an applicator. Twenty adult'bugs are added and a screen cover put on the dish. Water is supplied in 2 ounce bottles with a cotton wick. Mortality counts are, made after holding for three days at 80 and 60% relative humidity.

Carbonyl cyanide phenyl hydrazone, carbonyl cyanide p-chlorophenyl hydrazone, carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hyd'razone, carbonyl cyanide 2,5-dichlorophenyl hydrazone and, carbonyl cyanide p-methoxyphenyl hy- Examples 'INSECTICIDAL ACTIVITY AGAINST THE GERMAN 'QQCKROACH (BLATELLA' ERMANI A L.)

The procedure as employed;above'against the large However; only adult zone all cockroach.

methoxyphenyl hydrazone all demonstrated greater than /8 inch long are added to each' dish. The dishes are Example 5 V INSECTICIDAL ACTIVITY AGAINST THE TWO-SPOTTED' SPIDER MITE (TE'TRANYCHUS TELAR IUS L.)

The carbonyl cyanide hydrazones to be tested are made up as 0.1% solutions in 65% acetone-% water. Sieva Lima bean plants with their first pair of leaves three to four inches in size are infested about five hours before testing using about 100 to 200 adult mites per leaf. The

infested leaves are dipped in the test solutions (in fourinch crystallizing dishes) for three seconds and the plants set in the hood to dry. The treated plants are held for two days at 80 F. and at 60% relative humidity and the adult mite mortality calculated by counting dead and alive adults on one leaf under a 10X binocularscope.

The other leaf is held an additional five days and then is V examined at l0 power to estimate the kili of eggs and newly-hatched nymphs, giving a measure of the ovocidal and residual action, respectively. Compounds showing kills greater than 85% are further tested at ten-fold dilutions in 65% acetone-35% water solutions.

The results of this test are repored in Table ll below.

TABLE II Mites Insecticide Carbonyl cyanide phenyl hydrazone 56 Carbonyl cyanide p-chlorophenyl hydrazona. 100 Carbonyl cyanide rn-chlcrophenyl hydrazone. 100

Carbonyl cyanide 2,5-diehlorophcnyl hydrazone 100 Carbonyl cyanide roanethoxyphenyl hydrazone 1 100' Carbonyl cyanide a-naphthyl hydrazonen'uu 1 100 jam'ount carbonyl cyanidephenyl hydrazonel 4 p a V 4. A method of controlling insect pests whicli comprises applying thereto in an insecticidally reflective 2,909,556- Heininger Oct. 20,1959 3,062,635. Ackeret-al.; g Nov. 6, 19 2. a

1 Dead or moribund.

We clairin:

i 1. The method ofcontrolling insect pests Which'cornhalo-substituted phenyl, lower. alkoxyphenyl and naphthyl.

2. The method of controlling insect pests which com prises applying thereto in .an insecticidally effective amount carbonyl cyanide 2,5-dichlorophenylhydrazone. V g

3. A method of controlling insect pests which comprises] applying thereto 'in an insecticidally efi'ective.

"amount carbonyl cyanide p-chlorophenyl hydrazone.

5. A method of controlling insect pests which com-J V prises applying thereto in an. insecticidally efiective amount carbonyl cyanide ni-chlorophenyl hydrazone.

6.'A. method'of controlling insect. pests which co'r'n-.

amount carbonyl cyanide or-l'lflPhthYl hydrazone.

References Cited in the file ofpatent- UNITED STATES PATENTS Santrnyer et a1. "Ian. 7,1958 7 

1. THE METHOD OF CONTROLLING INSECT PESTS WHICH COMPRISES APPLYING THERETO IN AN INSECTICIDALLY EFFECTIVE AMOUNT A COMPOUND OF THE FORMULA: 